DU Oral History - Jim Griesemer Part II Highlights

James (Jim) Griesemer served as the Chief Financial Officer for University of Denver (DU) beginning in 1990. In 1994 he was selected to serve as the Dean of DU’s Business School. In his September 30, 2019 interview with Gregg Kvistad, Jim describes the challenges and concerns facing the college when he became dean including a decade of declining undergraduate enrollment, flat MBA enrollments and accreditation issues. He reflects on a significant gift from Bill Daniels and eventually changing the name of the college to the Daniels College of Business. He discusses the work done by him and others to develop a strategic and communications plan for the College and several important changes that were implemented including development of a placement office for the college and a new three-two program that allowed students to complete an undergraduate degree and MBA in five years. Jim reflects on the poor status of the Hotel School at that time and the efforts made to strengthen and revitalize the program. He also highlights how the college became a nationally ranked business school by the Wall Street Journal.